1. Field of Invention
The present invention generally relates to games of chance and, more particularly, to a roulette game in which the layout is altered from the original game in that there is a plurality of indicia and corresponding pockets on the roulette wheel which consists of a plurality of independently rotating disks and a plurality of indicators released onto an elevated surface producing a more randomized result.
2. Description of Prior Art
Roulette is a very popular game of chance played in casinos throughout the world. The roulette player enjoys a wide variety of betting options and the possibility of getting large payouts. Conventional roulette is played using a roulette wheel with indicia and pockets along the periphery of the wheel. The wheel is turned in one direction and the indicator ball is rolled in the opposite direction in a fixed channel surrounding the rotatable wheel. As the speed of the ball slows, the indicator ball comes to rest in one of the pockets and the indicia and color thereof is compared to the betting area to determine the various payouts.
One of the concerns with conventional roulette is the ability of the operator of the wheel to predetermine where the indicator ball will fall. This ability may favor either the player who is working with the operator to get a larger payout or the casino who wants to prevent players from winning the large payouts. It is desirable to randomize the indicated indicia. Mollo, U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,965, introduces air outputs in the roulette bowl to randomize the travel of the indicator ball. Jones, U.S. Patent Application 2001/0035605, seeks to improve the randomized selection of numbers by introducing a ball blower and a lottery-like numbered ball selector. Another way to randomize the travel of the indicator ball is to introduce the indicator ball from above the roulette wheel onto an elevated rotating surface. The indicator ball is made of a resilient material that will bounce off the rotating surface and strike the walls of an enclosure designed to direct the indicator ball toward the roulette wheel. An enclosure was used in Luehr, U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,921, to retain the indicators within the game while randomizing the result by sequentially turning over the complete game. Unlike Luehr, the present invention introduces the ball through the enclosure giving motion to the indicator by dropping it from above the spinning disks while the enclosure remains stationary.
In traditional roulette the pocket dividers rise above the top of the pocket acting as a paddle to strike the ball and change its direction. The present invention introduces wide bridge-like dividers that allow the indicator ball to roll from one disk to another. This wide surface also provides a way to redirect the motion of the ball when striking the surface from above. These dividers are tapered into each pocket providing an escape for the moving indicator.
Another draw for players is the large payout. In addition to randomizing the travel of the indicator ball, the present invention offers the player many additional betting opportunities and offers a larger payout. Caro, U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,838, describes a roulette wheel consisting of two disks that may turn in opposite directions. This invention depends on the use of an alignment mechanism because there is only one ring of pockets in the game. That invention presented without an alignment mechanism would not provide an adequate result. By adding pockets and indicia on each rotatable carrier the final result is an increase in betting options and ultimately a higher payout for a particular bet.